I live in Tampa. Look, central Florida (CF) isn't the most liberal place. Like most areas there are good places and places to stay away from. The CF GLBT newspaper is called "watermark". Look for the online edition you may get a good feel from it. There is a large "out and proud" population. Unemployment here is horrendous- one of the biggest industries was home building- not so good now. Disney, and the other large employers in Orlando are mostly gay friendly-have partner benefits etc but they tend to have dress codes,for everyone. Many of them have large creative departments that tend to draw GLBT types. Lots of restaurants, tourist type stuff and many of those mom and pop places are run by gays. There is enough so that you can find what you want. I spend little time there. I have met several people who moved here from Orlando and they seem to think that support was better there. Certainly there are enormous Gay/trans entertainment complexes there, "Parliament House". It was pretty outrageous the couple of times I went. A section of Tampa is called YBOR city which is a very historic Spanish area where they made cigars. The old brick buildings have been turned into various artist lofts, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. It has become very gay. Do a search on "gabor". Did I mention that the Tampa Police Chief is a very open Lesbian with a committed partner? We also have a gay city commissioner. Also the largest Gay Pride march in the southeast is held in St.Pete, a city listed in the gay atlas as one of the ten best gay places to live. The mayor of St.Pete has been little hesitant to attend but the new mayor this year actually did go to several not so public events. For a whack-a-doodle, born again, type to show up, even surreptitiously, shows the political strength of the gay community.
CF isn't near so neanderthal as some posters have made out. I have to believe that it is better than Mississippi. Please check out the two items on line that I mentioned before committing.
